Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cracker006]

I can't decide between Elem and Middle School (Public school in the country side).

I've taught Elem at Hakwon's before. Usually the younger kids are either bored, or highly excitable and won't stay in their chairs. Older kids are (more) able to handle being in a classroom for longer hours. I love preschool and kindi, but that's because I have built up report with them. Young elementary feels like babysitting in a zoo.

On the other hand... Middle school kids have that whole hormonal, moody, "Lets-blow-off-Authority" thing going on

Young Elem kids are usually fairly sweet.

Are the Middle School kids interested in their grades yet? What can I expect from M.S. students?

[Dome Vans]

By the sounds of it, it's a toss up between the two for you.

I teach at 2 middle and 1 elementary school out in the countryside. I only teach on Fridays at Elementary, and it's a really nice change because the kids are so nice, but I'm usually pretty exhausted after 4 lessons. Their level is pretty low but they are well behaved moreso because the home room teacher sits in and helps. Although teaching elementary takes a lot of energy. It takes less planning for elementary classes as well.

I like teaching middle because you get more sentences and more info from them. Sure you get a fair few sleepy students but on the whole not too bad. Like I said I have the mix which works really well and I enjoy both but the decision on picking one or the other is.........

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Teaching kids age 6-11 is very different from those age 12-15. By their early teens they're learning in very differnet ways. They have more cognative awareness, but especially in Korea, far less aptitude for implicit learning. I much perfer teaching the older group, but that's just because I don't relate to younger kids very well.